March 13, 1864---The Latin American Civil War

MARCH 13, 1864:      

Although mainstream American history neatly glosses this fact, the territorial expansion of the United States was undertaken largely at the expense of Spanish-speaking peoples, whether they were Spaniards, Mexicans, Puerto Ricans, Filipinos, or Guamanians. 

After the 1840s, when the border moved south to the Rio Grande, the United States acquired a large, largely-ignored Spanish-speaking population. In the 19^th Century, it was comprised primarily of Tejanos, Texans of Mexican origin. 

As it was with all Americans, Tejanos fought on both sides in the war, and in all theatres of the war and in all major battles. Many remained loyal to their home soil of Texas (if not strongly in favor of the Confederacy) despite being chronically ill-equipped and ill-provisioned by Richmond and Austin. The 33rd Texas (C.S.A.), commanded by Colonel Santos Benavides, was an all-Tejano unit which was never defeated by Union forces.

Many Tejanos, feeling either loyalty to the United States or, alternatively, that the Confederacy treated them in a disparaging fashion, chose to fight for the United States, like Captain Rafael Chacon of the New Mexico Volunteers (U.S.A.).  

The 2nd Texas Cavalry (U.S.A.) was an all-Tejano unit that fought in the ongoing Red River Campaign.

Other Tejanos struggled to come to terms with what they saw as strictly an “Anglo” Civil War. Some crossed the Rio Grande and sought asylum in Mexico; these illegal immigrants were often hanged by the French-dominated Mexican government as “invaders.”

On this day, Cecilio Balerio, a Tejano guerrilla fighting for the Union, defeated the Confederates in the bloody hand-to-hand Battle of San Patricios, Texas, that is considered part of the Red River Campaign.